Illegal dumping is the unlawful deposit of waste larger than litter onto land, i.e.: waste materials dumped, tipped or otherwise deposited onto private or public land, where no licence or approval exists. Illegal dumping varies from small bags of rubbish in an urban environment to larger scale dumping of materials in isolated areas, such as bushland.
The majority of illegal dumping is of construction and demolition (C & D) waste being dumped by unscrupulous trades or unethical construction & waste companies.
Nateis is constantly battling companies like this who do “cheap & nasty” demo and asbestos quotes, win the work and then go and dump the job waste illegally. The cost of not engaging a professional and experienced crew can be far more than the money saved, and customers need to be aware that they too can be prosecuted for employing such “shonky” businesses. On conviction, an illegal dumping offence carries a maximum fine of $125,000 for corporations and $62,500 for individuals.
A proportion of illegal dumping also consists of household or commercial waste offloaded by ignorant or apathetic companies and members of the public. Businesses and individuals illegally dump to avoid either the costs of disposal or the effort/time required to ensure proper disposal of the waste.
There is a known illegal dumping site located just down the road from our salvage and business yard, thankfully it is now being monitored by permanent CCTV cameras in a bid to stamp out illegal dumping.
A recent Wanneroo Times Community News article detailed how a sting operation caught five people illegally dumping waste in a State park, with one even offloading asbestos. This news article prompted us to communicate our goals about reducing waste and the importance of safe and legal disposal. There are many environmental, social, and financial costs associated with illegal dumping, particularly with respect to chemicals and other hazardous waste. About 35% (7 million tonnes) of building waste goes to landfill each year in Australia, so minimising and recycling building waste can have a big impact.
Nateis is fully insured and uses highly experienced and professional demolition crews, who are fully trained in all aspects of demolition & salvage, who have all taken part in safety awareness courses pertaining to C & D Sites. Illegal dumping damages the environment and costs the WA community $20-$30 million dollars each year.
Nateis is committed to waste avoidance and reducing waste where possible. We always dispose of waste and hazardous materials – such as asbestos – in accordance with Australian environmental regulations. We also recycle all the salvageable materials, recover to reduce removal and disposable expenses while keeping environmental impact on a minimum. We aim to take active steps to reduce our energy use or consumption, reduce waste, recycle everything we can, and to be dogmatic in the safe disposal of any residual contaminants in strict compliance with our regulatory obligations or legislative requirements. You can read more about the importance we place on Safety & Environment here.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is responsible for investigating and prosecuting illegal dumping. The City of Cockburn has partnered with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation to report illegal dumping. You can report suspicious activity to the Pollution Watch Hotline on 1300 784 782 (24 hours) or via pollutionwatch@dwer.wa.gov.au.
It is easy to dispose of waste legally, and customers risk significant penalties if they do not. Get in touch with the Nateis Demolition team to discuss your waste disposal requirements. We approach every job with integrity and are committed to providing our clients with excellent service and value for money on every project we undertake.